He Yuzhu returns in Siheyuan

Chapter 804 The Identity of the Evil Wolf

He searched every corner of He Yuzhu's soul, but apart from that abundant, pure power, he couldn't find any trace of other souls, nor any lingering shadows or coldness of evil energy. Helpless, Elder Qingyi could only slowly withdraw his spiritual power and exit He Yuzhu's soul.

As soon as he withdrew his hand, he swayed and staggered back half a step before regaining his balance. His face instantly turned much paler, even his lips lost their color, and his breathing became somewhat rapid, with his chest rising and falling slightly, clearly indicating that he had exerted himself greatly.

He Yuzhu quickly got up to help him, and asked anxiously, "Elder Qingyi, how is it? Did you find anything?"

Elder Qingyi leaned against the stone table, took a few breaths to catch his breath, shook his head, and said with a hint of fatigue in his voice, "Sect Master, your soul is extremely strong and your foundation is very solid. Indeed... there is nothing unusual about it. There is no trace of other souls, nor any residual evil energy."

He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat, as if he had been hit hard by something. His brows furrowed even more tightly, almost forming a knot: "Could it be...could it be that I really...have a split personality?"

"Dissociative identity disorder?" Elder Qingyi looked puzzled, clearly having never heard of this term before. "Sect Master, what does this mean?"

He Yuzhu then explained the symptoms of dissociative identity disorder that he had read about in a book—multiple independent consciousnesses exist within the same body, each with different memories and personalities, and they may not even be interconnected, like several strangers living in a house. Finally, with some uncertainty, he asked, "If that's the case, is it possible that even secret techniques can't detect it?"

After listening, Elder Qingyi remained silent for a long while before slowly nodding: "According to the sect leader, this situation concerns the subtle differences in the origin of the soul, which is probably more hidden than ordinary soul residing. Although our secret techniques can detect the whole picture of the soul, we may not be able to distinguish such subtle differences. After all... the matter of the soul is extremely mysterious, and there are still many mysteries in the world, which even ancient books have not recorded in detail."

He Yuzhu fell silent. Only the soft crackling of sandalwood incense burning quietly in the bronze incense burner filled the secret room, a wisp of smoke winding its way up, tracing a blurry path in the dim light. The doubts in his heart didn't dissipate; instead, they seemed to have been doused with ice water, freezing them even more firmly, weighing heavily on his mind. If it wasn't some external interference, then where did these fleeting memories, these inexplicably surging emotions, and that sudden, unfamiliar force come from?

He gazed at the flickering candlelight in the corner of the secret chamber. The leaping flame cast his shadow on the stone wall, now bright, now dim, fragmented and indistinct. He felt that his current predicament was even more gloomy and incomprehensible than this airtight stone chamber, as if he had stepped into an endless fog, unable to see the direction or grasp the edge.

After a long while, He Yuzhu slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with a sense of solemnity, and said to Elder Qingyi, "Alright, Elder, this matter... it's best not to mention it to anyone else. The Demon Suppression Hall is in dire need of manpower right now. If word gets out, it might cause unnecessary panic and unsettle people. It's fine as long as the two of us know."

Elder Qingyi, seeing the gravity in his expression, naturally understood the implications. The matter of the sect leader's soul was of utmost importance; if it were leaked, it could at least shake morale, and at worst, be exploited by those with ulterior motives, harming the Demon Suppression Hall. He nodded solemnly and bowed, replying, "This subordinate understands and will certainly not reveal a single word."

Silence fell again in the stone chamber, with only the lingering scent of sandalwood incense and the flickering candlelight illuminating their faces, each lost in their own thoughts. He Yuzhu knew that since there was no clue to be found, he could only suppress the matter for the time being. However, the unease hidden deep in his soul was like a seed buried in the soil, waiting to sprout at any moment.

On the other side, Little Fox squatted on the flagstone steps, her fluffy fox tail gently sweeping the ground behind her. She twirled a tender leaf she had just picked from the locust tree in the corner of the courtyard. Tilting her head, her bright almond-shaped eyes scrutinized the evil wolf standing opposite her. Seeing his grey cloth outfit and the cold, unapproachable air about him, she couldn't help but swing her bare feet and speak in a clear voice: "Judging from the faint demonic aura you exude, you're definitely a wolf. But which wolf clan are you from? Are you the Azure Wind Wolf Clan, skilled in swift attacks, or the Snow Ridge Wolf Clan, able to withstand the harsh cold?"

The wolf's eyes were lowered, his long eyelashes casting a faint shadow beneath his eyelids, obscuring the emotions within. Hearing this, he slowly shook his head, his voice low and brooding, as if ground by sand, carrying an unyielding melancholy: "I don't know. From as far back as I can remember, I've been hiding and running with my mother in the deep mountains and forests. I only vaguely remember that shortly after I was born, a terrible thing happened to our clan. Fires raged through the night, turning half the sky red, and the sounds of fighting and screams could shake the mountains. When I woke up in my mother's arms, everyone in the clan was gone, only ruins and the pungent smell of blood remained. Only my mother, holding me, fled into an even more remote, dense forest." As he spoke, his fingertips curled slightly, his knuckles turning white, as if clutching a pain he didn't want to recall but was etched into his very bones.

Little Fox had already noticed it—the demonic aura emanating from the evil wolf wasn't particularly strong, but it possessed an innate sharpness, especially when it attacked. The hidden explosive power it displayed was far beyond that of ordinary wolf demons, clearly indicating its extraordinary talent. However, its moves were chaotic and disorganized, and its method of exerting force was clumsy, obviously lacking proper family instruction. No one had taught it the secret techniques of the wolf clan; otherwise, with its inherent talent, its abilities would be far greater than what it was now.

She stood up, brushed the dust and grass clippings off her skirt, and suggested, "Can you revert to your original form? Different branches of the wolf clan have unique markings in their original form. For example, the Azure Wind Wolf has a crescent moon mark on its forehead, and the Snow Ridge Wolf has a white tail tip. I might be able to tell which clan you belong to."

The evil wolf didn't ask further questions, simply nodding silently. A surge of demonic energy erupted around him, like ripples on a calm surface of water. A pale blue light enveloped his figure, bringing with it a cool breeze. Moments later, the light dissipated, revealing a black wolf half a man's height. The evil wolf's fur was jet black, glossy and smooth, except for two tufts of silver hair at the tips of its ears, which shimmered in the sunlight. Its limbs were strong and powerful, its muscles flowing smoothly. A light scratch on the bluestone slab left several clear shallow marks. In its amber wolf eyes, a hint of unease about the unknown, and a barely perceptible anticipation, lingered.